Queensland State Schools promote learning, creativity and innovation as the platform upon which to build prosperity and quality of life for all Queenslanders.
Assessment Policies
School assessment policies provide guidelines for teachers and expectations for all staff and students for assessment. These policies support schools in promoting equitable and credible outcomes, including academic integrity.
Prep to Year 10
Assessment is the ongoing process of gathering, analysing and reflecting on evidence to make informed judgments about the achievement or capabilities of individuals and cohorts. Assessment plays an integral role in improving learning and informing teaching. Its fundamental purpose is to establish where learners are in an aspect of their learning at the time of assessment (Masters 2014). Teachers of Prep-Year 10 students develop assessment programs that give students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills in a variety of contexts. Creating and maintaining good academic habits in P–10 can build the foundation for student success in the senior years.
Years 11 and 12
Schools develop and implement policies and procedures that:
- encourage the participation and engagement of students in their learning and assessment
- enable the provision of valid teaching, learning and assessment.
Cairns SDE has used the relevant QCAA guidelines, QCE & QCIA handbook, and QCAA syllabuses to develop a school-based assessment policy for Applied, Applied (Essential), General and General (Extension) subjects and Short Courses. These documents provide the guidelines as to how we develop and administer assessment. School assessment policies allow schools to cater for their school context while ensuring that approaches across the state are comparable. Assessment policies:
- provide information to students about expectations for assessment and their responsibilities
- include guidelines for teachers and information to all staff about expectations and their roles and responsibilities
- are
- communicated clearly to teachers, students and parents/carers
- enacted consistently across all subjects within the school
- based on information in the QCE/QCIA handbook and QCAA guidelines and syllabuses
- reviewed and updated to meet changing contextual factors, e.g. use of AI.
Parents/carers and others who support students also have a responsibility to promote and maintain academic integrity.
For example, parents/carers could:
- reinforce the importance of ethical conduct and study practices
- support students to understand family, community and school expectations
- ensure students understand the consequences of academic misconduct
- support students to develop the skills needed to submit their own work
- encourage students to seek additional information and/or advice from their school if they have questions after completing the course
- discuss any concerns they may have with the school.